Wind protected card table top



' Dec. 6, 1949 S. N. POLIS WIND PROTECTED CARD TABLE TOP Filed De.

l u-mH-1- -l+iiil an v a z! x INVENTOR. ,famueZ Mfalip Afro/MEY-Patented Dec. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIND PROTECTED CARDTABLE TOP Samuel N. Polis, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application December 31, 1947, Serial No. 794,983

3 Claims.

This invention is an improvement in game devices; particularly boardsintended for use in the playing of games and the like amusements thatrequire the handling of cards and other objects of light weight.

An important object of the invention is to prevent such cards and thelike from being blown off the board by the wind when the board is set upin the open. To this end it is constructed so as to be capable ofpresenting a flat top, for indoor use, or outdoor use in places wherethere is no breeze; and is equipped with movable parts that can be swunginto position to screen the top adjacent the edges. The cards or otherlight objects are thus shielded and protected from currents of air whenlaid down on the board and cannot be whisked out of reach of theplayers, even when a fresh, strong breeze is stirring.

Other objects and advantages are set forth in the ensuing specificationand the distinguishing features are pointed out in the claims. But thisdisclosure is by way of example only; and variations in details ofstructure may be adopted without deviation from the main design in whichthe invention is incorporated.

On the drawings,

Figure l is a top plan of a device according to this invention with themembers for protecting the cards, etc., in folded or inoperativeposition.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing said members in position to serve theintended purpose.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 44 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a full cross section on line '55 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6' shows one of the members for shielding the cards, detached.

The device comprises a top supported on legs 2, and around the outeredges of the top are reinforcing strips 3. Adjacent said strips 3 thetop has recesses or openings in the form of slots 4, which can be closedor uncovered by strips or panels 5. Thepanels are connected to the topby hinges 6 along the sides which are nearer to the middle of the top i.When disposed in the slots 4, the panels 5 are flush with the top, andthe latter presents an unbroken upper surface.

The ends of both the slots 4 and panels 5 are inclined to the lengththereof in opposite directions. The shorter of the longitudinal edges ofthe slots and panels is nearer to the strips 3, along the edges of thetop; and the slots and panels meet at their inner corners to delineate aclosed figure; which can be square or hexagonal or otherwise shaped.When the panels 5 are turned up about their longer or inner edges tilltheir inclined or bevel ends come into contact, they make a continuousclosed rim or barrier which screens the surface of the top surrounded bysaid rim against drafts of air that could sweep the top clear of cardsand the like laid thereon.

The inclined ends 7 of the panels 5 are fitted to engage neatly when therim or barrier is set up, and hooks or fasteners to hold the panelstogether may be attached to them if desired, on their under faces.

Below the slots 4 are trough-shaped receptacles 8, the tops of which areabout flush with the lower surface of the top I. These receptacles arefor storing cards, pencils and the like; and the edges of the panelsrest thereon when turned down into the slots 4. The top I thus has acontinuous unbroken smooth surface when the panels 5 are down, and whenraised, they expose the receptacles 8 and present the appearance shownin Figures 2 and 5, making a closed rim or barrier, for screening andshielding the part of the top I surrounded by it.

To prevent eddy currents, the panels 5 have recesses in their hingededges. These recesses 9 may have various forms or outlines, but areshown as semi-circular. They are matched by similarly shaped projectionsm in the adjacent edges of the slots 4. When the panels 5 are down theprojections ll] fill the recesses 9; and when the panels '5 are in thepositions shown in Figures 2 and 5, the recesses 9 are unobstructed,allowing enough air to pass through the rim to prevent r eddy currentsfrom wind across the top edges of the rim; and thus no disturbance ordisplacement of any light objects within the barrier can occur.

In addition to recesses 9 in the lower edges of the panels 5, the endsof the panels where they engage one another may have notches similar tothose shown at 9; and openings might be formed through the panelsbetween the top and bottom edges. Such recesses, openings and notches orany of them may be omitted if desired.

Likewise the legs 2 may be dispensed with if one desires merely to usethe device on a beach or lawn by laying it on the ground or putting itupon an ordinary table. With the legs omitted, the device could, ofcourse, rest on the bottoms of the receptacles 8, or directly on theunderside of the top I itself, if receptacles 8 and reenforcing strips 3are omitted.

When the panels are in position as in Figures 2, 4 and 5. any breeze ordraft of air blowing over the table is deflected upward and does notdisturb the space enclosed by the panels, or throw oif the cards or thelike which may be on the top member I, as the game is played. Enough airwould pass through the recesses, notches and openings through the panelsto prevent eddy currents Within the area enclosed by the rim, when suchrecesses, notches and openings are provided.

ihe degrees of inclination of the panels 5 can be varied and theycaneven be so arranged that they can be set up in vertical position ifpreferred.

These panels should be flat on the faces which are exposed when thepanels are down in the recesses 4. The opposite faces which arepresented to the players when the panels are set up need not be flat ifreceptacles 8 are provided, but may even have figures, designs orprojections thereon.

The panels are shown hinged to the top I, and the method of attachingmay be cloth or fabric; or the panels may be removable and positioned byadjusting into slots provided underneath in the recesses Or receptacles.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new is:

1. An article of the kind described having a top with elongated openingstherein along the edges of the top, the adjacent ends of said openingsbeing in proximity, receptacles below said openings and substantiallycoextensive therewith, panels connected to the inner edges of saidopenings, the panels therein extending completely around said top withtheir adjacent ends in close proximity, the panels being shaped to fillsaid openings and be supported upon the sides of said receptacles to beflush with the upper surface of the top, said panels being movable abouttheir connections to said top into position to engage one another at theends and make a, closed rim on saidtop, the ends of said openings andsaid panels being bevelled so that said rim 'is inclined towards thecenter of the top.

2. The article according to claim 1 with the panels havin notches intheir edges which are exposed at the lower edges of the panels when thepanels are fully lifted to make said rim, and matching projections onthe adjacent edges of said openings filling said notches when the panelsare in said openings and flush with the top.

3. An article of the kind described having a top with elongated openingstherein along the edges of the top, the adjacent ends of said openingsbeing in proximity, panels connected to the inner edges of saidopenings, the panels therein extending completely around said top withtheir adjacent ends in close proximity, the panels be- 1 ing shaped tofill said openings and be supported therein flush with the upper surfaceof the top,

said panels being movable about their connections to said top intoposition to engage one another at the ends and make a closed rim on saidtop, the ends of said openings and said panels being bevelled so thatsaid rim is inclined towards the center of the top.

- SAMUEL N. POLIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 848,042 Musgrave Mar. 26, 19071,219,715 Eiseman Mar. 20, 1917 1,906,213 Neuschotz Apr. 25, 19331,951,608 Gunn Mar. 20, 1934 2,371,262 Polis Mar. 13, 1945 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 376,333 Germany May 26, 1923

